§ MR. J. E. REDMOND (Wexford, N.)asked the Postmaster General, Whether his attention has been called to the state of the telegraphic communication between the towns of Wexford and Enniscorthy; whether, under the existing arrangement, all messages from Enniscorthy to Wexford must be transmitted first to Dublin, and thence to Wexford, and vice versâ; whether the result of this system is that it frequently takes less time to send a message between these towns by rail than by telegraph; whether a very considerable telegraphic business is transacted between these towns; and, whether he can now see his way to grant the prayer of the Memorial recently addressed to the Secretary of the General Post Office, Dublin, by the merchants and traders of Enniscorthy, asking for the establishment of direct telegraphic communication between these towns?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)My attention has been called to the subject of the hon. Member's Question; and while I am unable to grant the request that direct telegraphic communication should be provided between Wexford and Enniscorthy, because the amount of business between the two towns will not warrant the expense of providing and working a direct wire, I am prepared to expedite the transmission of telegrams by improving the existing means of communication. The daily number of messages is about eight, and the average time of transmission 15 minutes.